Chapter 6: Relationships.
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One month later / March, 2010
"Ok so according to the records, the Ten Shadows user should be able to store anything within a pocket dimension that exists within their shadows" Gojo stated as he was reading from the records.
Megumi was sitting down on the ground with his legs crossed meditating and trying to focus on his shadow, he had Kage laying in his lap. Cursed energy passively flowed into it as he tried to visualise the abyss within him.
An hour later
"I can't do it damnit! It's just not working." A frustrated voice bellowed from Megumi's throat at his inability to master his technique for the past hour.
Gojo chuckled a little as he looked at his protege's anger. "Well of course it's not dumbass! You're getting heated and losing control of your emotions! Don't you remember my lesson? Your ability to control Jujutsu is directly affected by your ability to keep a calm mind and a steady spirit, so stop getting heated. Calm down, focus on yourself alone. Try to visualise a deep well hiding within your shadows."
Megumi did as he was told, he took a deep breath in as he closed his eyes. Letting the breath out as he brought his hands together in his lap. A deep well from within his shadows was visualised in his mind, within it seemed to be an infinite expanse of a sea of void.
"Now start from within and try to seep your cursed energy within your shadows and visualise the well opening up, just like when you summon your Shikigami."
In Megumi's lap a void of shadows opened up as Kage fell within it. The surprise of it all happening caused his focus to break, the void closing up right afterwards.
"Damn, I did it! Thanks Satoru!" The raven-haired boy exclaimed in excitement, Gojo responded with a smile before prompting him to do it again.
This time the void responded much faster than it did before, after he grasped the feeling of doing so the first time it became much easier. He went to grab Kage out of the void before deciding against it and keeping it there to bring out whenever it's needed.
"Good work, Megumi. But now that we're done with that, I need to talk to you about something important." Gojo said as he put the book away and sat down in front of him to look him in the eyes.
"Hm? Sure Satoru, what's up?" Megumi looked into his eyes, slightly confused at the change in tone.
As you know, I'll be graduating from Jujutsu Tech soon and I'll become the Head of the Gojo clan so I'll have more responsibilities and I won't be able to train you daily as I have the past month. So I knew I had to talk to you about this before that happens." Gojo explained to megumi while looking into his eyes.
"Uh yea, I know what's this about Satoru?" Megumi asked him quizzically.
The white-haired man leaned back and looked towards the setting sun for a moment, before looking back and explaining "I need you to make a binding vow with me about this." Megumi's eyes slightly widened at this.
Binding Vows are essentially contracts created through cursed energy that an individual can make with one's self or another person. The act of abiding by the rules and restrictions agreed upon in these contracts can result in a greater power or the achievement of a goal, but breaking a binding vow has uncanny repercussions that could greatly affect the one who breaks them.
"Sure Satoru, I'll do it." Megumi asserted, completely trusting him.
"I want you to vow to me that from today onwards, until you become strong enough to tear a special grade curse to shreds by yourself. That you will hone an aspect of strength in each and every day that you have, unless special circumstances happen that make you unable to do so." In response to this Megumi's gaze and will did not falter.
Gojo continued finishing with "In exchange, I will give you a weapon that was able to almost kill me in the past."
Megumi's eyes widened at the declaration 'I-Is he offering me The Inverted Spear of Heaven?'
"Do you accept this vow, Fushiguro Megumi?" Gojo questioned.
Megumi took barely a second to think before declaring with all his heart "I Fushiguro Megumi Vow with the Heavens above as my witness, that from this day onwards, until I become strong enough to tear a special grade curse to shreds alone. That I will hone an aspect of strength in each and every day that I have, unless special circumstances happen that make me unable to do so."
Gojo's grin almost mimicked the setting sun behind the raven-haired boy as he also declared "I Gojo Satoru Vow with the Heavens above as my witness, that if the one known as Fushiguro Megumi completes his vow, I shall grant him The Inverted Spear of Heaven. A weapon that once almost took my life."
The Heavens above them shook as the sky almost seemed to darken for a moment, before an illusionary chain connecting the very souls of Gojo Satoru and Fushiguro Megumi before fading away. The vow they made came into full effect immediately as Megumi's potential was expanded exponentially even further.
Both Gojo and Megumi took in breaths they didn't know they were holding as the ritual ended, looking into the others eyes. Then, Master and Student grinned wholeheartedly at the other.
…
A few days later, in the morning.
Megumi leaned against a tree within a massive enclosed area, the forest was huge and was filled with animals in which he released Blizzard and Nyx to run around and play. Although curiously enough, it lacked any natural predators as all animals within lived without fear. A small slice of paradise.
Tsumiki was standing next to him with a smile on her face, she was looking at a stage within a large clearing. The stage had a few people, Gojo Satoru and Shoko Ieiri were both on the stage wearing their usual uniforms with a large black robe on the top of it and a graduate cap.
In front of them was Masamichi Yaga, the principal of Tokyo Jujutsu Tech and the only teacher that Gojo Satoru had ever respected.
Masamichi Yaga was a tall man with a muscular frame and tan skin. He had short, spiky, black hair on top with the rest of his head shaved. He has thick eyebrows and his facial hair consists of a moustache and goatee combination. Like many other sorcerers, Masamichi always sports sunglasses as well.
[Image (In Discord)]
Yaga had two decorated certificates in his hands that he handed out to his now former students. "The two of you joined this school in hopes of growing not only as sorcerers, but as people. You have gone through many hardships throughout your time here, and you will continue to do so over the rest of your life."
Yaga looked both of them in the eyes, they both had smiles on their faces as they looked back at him with an air of confidence. Yaga smiled right back at them, feeling proud of his students.
"But! Because of how much time I have spent with you two, I know that you will make me and this school proud. Ieiri Shoko, Gojo Satoru, you have now officially graduated from Tokyo Jujutsu Tech!"
Gojo and Shoko took off their caps and threw them into the skies, a symbol of moving forward and becoming better.
Claps rang into the sky, many people were present to witness the graduation of one of the greatest generations of sorcerers in years.
Gojo jumped down from the stage, looking back and catching Shoko who jumped after him. They both walked towards Megumi and Tsumiki.
"Congratulations, Shoko-san, Gojo-san! I'm so happy for you!" Tsumiki was still clapping while congratulating them.
"Yeah, congrats you two." Megumi said as he stopped leaning against the tree, going up to Gojo and giving him a high five.
Before Gojo could respond a voice spoke up behind him.
"Congratulations, Shoko!" A black haired woman came up to Shoko and gave her a hug completely ignoring Gojo.
"Haha, thank you Utahime-senpai. I guess we're both graduated now huh?" Shoko said as she patted the young woman's back.
"Haa? Why are you ignoring me Utahime?" Gojo said while pointing at himself feeling left out.
The woman responded by turning around and throwing a knife at him while shouting "Quiet you disrespectful brat, you don't deserve it!"
Utahime has long blackish-purple hair that extends down her back, with some strands tied behind her head, thin eyebrows, brown eyes and a scar on the right side of her face that crosses the bridge of her nose. She has a blessed figure that has curves in all the right places. Utahime wears a traditional miko outfit consisting of a white Kosode and red umanori-styled hakama pants, despite wearing modern brown coloured boots.
[Image (In Discord)]
"Where did she even get that knife from?" Tsumiki questioned in the background, seeming very confused.
"Calm down, Utahime-senpai. There's no need to get mad at Gojo-san, it's supposed to be a happy occasion isn't it?" A blond-haired man with blond hair called out as he was walking towards the group.
Nanami is a tall, well-built man with blonde hair styled with a neat part. Nanami has very thin eyebrows as well as small eyes that are covered by special sunglasses, which don't have arms that wrap around the ears. Nanami wore a Blue shirt with a Yellow Black-spotted tie and beige office pants.
[Image (In Discord)]
"Oh Nanamin, when did you change your hair?" Gojo asked in slight awe, Nanami ran a hand through it pushing it back slightly. "Just yesterday, I decided that since you're gonna be gone soon I should have a small change to celebrate."
"That's so hurtful!" Gojo cried out comically while Shoko chuckled at him while leaning on a nearby tree, pulling out a cigarette and taking a small drag.
"Shoko, didn't you promise me you'd quit? At least don't smoke on your graduation day! There are some higher ups around, you might anger them!" Utahime nagged at Shoko for smoking even though she promised her prior that she would stop soon.
"Fuck 'em." The Brown-haired healer said as she took another drag, causing Utahime's and Tsumiki's jaws to drop while the others just chuckled at her indifference.
"You got another one Shoko-san? I promise to pay you back~." A sultry voice came from behind Shoko.
"Oh? Mei Mei you're here too? I assumed you'd skip this since no one would be paying you to come." Shoko said slightly surprised before passing her a cigarette anyways.
After lighting it and taking a drag from it she said "With so many Jujutsu higher ups and Jujutsu Tech alumni here, this is a perfect opportunity to do some networking. Of course I came here for you two as well, I wouldn't miss it for the world~."
Mei Mei is a young woman with light peach skin and small, sharp dark brown eyes with thin eyebrows. She wore a suit and tie with her White hair kept in a high ponytail and two parallel bangs that left her face completely unobscured. She had an hourglass figure with ample assets, causing her tie to slightly sink in between her breasts.
[Image (In Discord)]
Gojo laughed a little, "That's so like you Mei Mei, you never change." Mei Mei giggled with him as well before saying "Why would I? I'm perfect as I am now.", Causing many in the group to either laugh with them or shake their heads.
"Oh~, and this is a perfect time to finally meet you, Fushiguro Megumi, right? Aren't you a cute one~, I hear Gojo took you under his wing and is training you personally." Mei Mei turned to Megumi who felt his cheeks heat up slightly.
'Huh, why do I suddenly want to beat up this woman?' Tsumiki wondered to herself as saw her brother react oddly to the White-haired woman as a blood vessel in her forehead bulged up.
"That's right, he's really talented. He took in all my training and lessons quickly and managed to take down cursed spirits alone at almost the same age as me, he might even be stronger than me one day!" Gojo eagerly bragged about his student.
But before said student could answer Mei Mei for himself, a mocking tone called out a few metres away from the cheerful group causing them all to tense up. In the distance the Twin Divine Dogs sensing their master's change in mood sprinted back to protect him.
"So the great Gojo Satoru admits that the Zenin Clan's Ten Shadows is a better Cursed Technique than the Gojo Clan's Limitless and Six Eyes? And to also see you taking back talk from a woman is really humiliating you White haired menace. " A blonde haired young man with an arrogant expression on his face. "I came here to see what this filthy school will do to commemorate a Special Grade's graduation and quite frankly, I am not impressed." He ended with a sneer.
Gojo already had an annoyed expression on his face and was about to reply before a hand landed on the blonde-haired man's shoulder, breaking the two of them out of their stare down.
"HAHA, don't you let my son disturb you all from the celebration, come Naoya, this is no time to be antagonising them!" An old man with Grey hair and a gourd of sake said before drinking from it deeply.
Naoya is a relatively tall young man with a fit build. He has sharp brown eyes and dyed blonde hair accented with his dark green roots. He believes himself to have an appearance befitting a clan head, he wore a traditional attire that resembles most of his clan members. He sports a white long-sleeved shirt that buttons at the colour underneath his dark blue kimono. He completes his outfit with light-coloured hakama bottoms and sandals.
[Image (In Discord)]
"Noabito Zenin and Naoya Zenin, what brings you two here?" Megumi was the first to speak up, walking in front of his sister to distract them from her and grab their attention.
"Zenin Megumi, nice to meet you again after so long. Has Gojo been treating you well?" He looked to the side to see the Twin Divine Dogs Reach their owner and stand by him ready to attack, which he smirked in satisfaction at. "It's good to see that you have been honing your Ten Shadows already."
Naobito has mid-length, grey hair that is usually slicked back to reach just behind his neck. He has small black eyes with long eyebrows with thick edges. Naobito also sports a long, thin, English-style moustache that extends beyond both sides of his cheeks. The 26th head of the Zenin Clan casually wore a brown yukata with a black sash.
[Image (In Discord)]
Noabito drank again before responding to his original question "We're just here to say our congratulations to Gojo Satoru on graduating Jujutsu tech and finally getting closer to claiming his position as Head of the Gojo clan."
"Thank you, I look forward to working with you old man!" Gojo said snidely from the side, drawing Noaya's ire for his disrespect towards a Clan head even if he was the Heir of the Gojo Clan and its soo to be leader and making Shoko and Mei Mei giggle slightly which angered Naoya even further at their audacity.
Noabito didn't seem to be insulted in the slightest simply laughing before he said "To you as well Gojo. But our time is up here, I am busy with clan matters so I must leave. I'm sure you understand."
Noabito and his son turned around to walk away before he looked over his shoulder at Megumi and muttered under his breath "See you soon, Zenin Megumi…"
The group stayed tense for a moment as they left before slowly starting up conversation again.
…
Somewhere far away
A man with long hair with a messy bun at the top looked away from a burning village, dead bodies lining the ground of the village as hundreds of curses ranging from Grade 4 to Grade 1 ruled the streets. Eating alive any human they found and left the village in rubble.
He looked into the skies before muttering wistfully under his breath "It's March 23rd isn't it huh? I hope you're having a great day Satoru, Shoko…" leaving the rest of his words unspoken, before straightening himself, hardening his gaze and turning away from the broken village before walking away. The curses within it, one by one fading into the void.
"Let's go Hanako, Mimiko. We have much more work to do." The man resolutely said with an air of disturbing determination about him.
Two twin girls, one with brown hair holding a doll and one with blond hair looking at her phone, both stood up from where they were sitting and followed him with adoration and worship in their eyes.
""Yes, Geto-Sama!""